When is a wind too much wind?

[andrew_s]

Guess wind is the equivalent of hills here LOL

One of the Danish members on YACF had "The wind are our mountains" (sic) in his sig line.
The Dutch have a headwind cycling championship, where they pick a really windy day and do a 5 mile TT along a storm barrier (100 kph last year).
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/r...kph-winds-dutch-headwind-championships-301112

These days, I give it best at about 20 mph, apart from going to meet the mates at the pub (8 miles), but I used to treat wind as a good workout and entertainment. I think the record for one ride was 7 trees down, mostly smallish, but one proper sized tree (18" trunk) that hadn't been there on the way out.

 

[GuyBoden]

Depends, the wind can be a fiend or friend.

 

[rugby bloke]

<10 mph - nice
10 - 20 mph - fairly typical so crqck on
20 - 30 mph - this is going to be hard work
> 30 mph - forget it !

 

[GilesM]

It's improving, but will still be a bit blustery at at 5:30, just find a few big hedges to hide behind.

 

[jarlrmai]

I wont go out for fun above 18-20 unless it's a group ride and I can share the load. Or it's a commute in which case I'll ride in anything that's not crazy dangerous.

 

[Will Spin]

I go by the met office forecast gust speed, so if it's forecast to gust over 40 mph I don't go out, I think there's normally a yellow warning issued at this speed. I have found that some of my fastest times have been achieved on my regular circuits on windy days, somehow the speed penalty when pushing into wind seems to have been more than compensated for when travelling the section with the wind behind me.

 

[Dave7]

20ish mph is "comfort" limit. TBH I don't feel safe above that as a sudden gust could push me side-wards at the wrong time.
If 20 mph I will settle for a 15 miler.

 

[Fenrider]

What do you think is a bearable wind speed?

Taking the average speed from all the responses so far, it looks like 22.54166666666667 mph is your answer.

 

[si_c]

Todays commute home was a 25mph headwind with 40mph gusts. Doable, but took nearly twice as long as usual.

 

[Sunny Portrush]

I used to go out in all sorts of wind speeds, thinking I was uber hard for doing it. Then, one day when the wind wasn`t particuarly bad (but defo over double figures), I saw a gust catch a cyclist on the other side of the road and into the path of the car behind him. The result was not nice and I will never forget it. Now, when I see cyclist`s out in windy conditions, I just think, why??

 

[Grant Fondo]

I went out mountain biking the evening before Typhoon York hit Lantau Island and it was a bit blowy. Next day the eye went over so kept the bike (and me) tucked up indoors!

 

[snorri]

When it's chucking hailstones at you.

 

[iandg]

I've found my limit to be gusts >40mph. Above that I get blown across the road and worry about being hit by passing vehicles.

 

[iandg]

here in north wales, if you didnt go out when the wind was 15mph you'd never go out.

I was always depressed by wind until I read somewhere that the best thing is just to accept you'll be slower, drop into a lower gear and just keep working - you'll still get there and you'll get a good workout

maybe I'm shallow but thinking about it like that just made it easier to put up with

lower gear and pedal - that's what I do

 

[Low Gear Guy]

When small branches are getting torn off trees and roof slates fly through the air it may be an idea to wear some form of head protection. I am a bit reluctant to use the H word.

I feel this way when branches are crashing onto the road behind me!